Littlest Brother
by Scififan33
Summary: Betrayed by his world, everyone he loved slaughtered and dying himself, Harry's soul cried out for vengeance and he was answered. Acheron was beyond angry when he saw the newest Dark Hunter but he would never take it out on the teen he had to train. When the opportunity came, Acheron fought to have Harry as Kyrian's replacement over Valerius.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: don't own Harry Potter or Dark Hunter._

_Been thinking of writing this one for ages and finally gotten around to it. _

_Pairing suggestions welcome_

**Chapter 1**

Acheron appeared in Devon, the freezing wind blowing about him, but he ignored it in favour of the hunched form on the hill ahead of him. He hadn't asked many questions when she had come to him, knowing he would sense what she had done, he should have known better than to trust her promise. She had promised not to make any more Dark Hunters and not even a century later she had broken that promise. All he could see of his newest Hunter was incredibly messy black hair and a hunched back…his shoulders were not very wide at all. He took a step and the younger male turned and Acheron was startled to see dark green eyes instead of the expected black.

"Are you Acheron?" the boy asked, standing up…and he really was a boy.

Acheron fought down the rage at Artemis for daring to make such a young Hunter. It was odd, she had a type and this young man definitely didn't fit it. He wasn't over six foot; in fact he was a bit under it, and on the scrawny side. "The sun will rise soon, we need to leave," he offered, and the boy nodded, glancing back once before walking over to join him and Acheron looked at the valley, seeing the burnt remains of a building, likely a house.

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Harry walked down the street; eyes peeled for his prey. The night streets were busy, full of tourists, which made the area prime hunting territory for Daimons. Sometimes he wondered how the magical world hadn't known of them, or if they had, how they had kept it from the general population. Not that he could ask anyone, there was no government in Britain anymore and as far as the magical world was concerned, Harry Potter had been dead for two years. Harry Evans was his name now, he didn't want the reminder of his old life, but he couldn't totally cut his ties to the past like some did, taking on a single word as their name.

It was the way it had to be, and he didn't care. All the magical world had done was take everything he had ever loved. Even if he could, he would never go back. Besides, his life wasn't bad, he was still fighting evil, just differently to how he'd been told at Hogwarts to do it. There were days, when the nightmares came, the people he had loved all condemning him for being a killer now. He killed to save human lives, yes he pitied the Apollites, to condemn them all for the actions of a few had been wrong, but so was turning Daimon. Everything he had learnt of the old gods made him sick, they were so petty. And he'd gone and sold his soul to one, what had he been thinking? Honestly? He hadn't been. Once again his temper had gotten the best of him though at least he'd been the only one to pay the price.

He'd been in Rome for six months now and he had adjusted to the city, though it wasn't home. He doubted anywhere would be home ever again. He'd gotten used to having friends, people he could turn to, while at Hogwarts, but he'd spent his childhood isolate and alone, so it wasn't hard to get used to that again. He had refused a Squire, not wanting to have the responsibility or risk of having someone so close. He was used to taking care of himself.

He had one advantage over his brethren, like Acheron he couldn't be possessed by spirits or souls or anything. in a city as old as Rome, that really came in handy. He had to admit, he liked the shocked loo on Daimons faces when he followed them into cemeteries and catacombs. He may not have been given powers like others were, but it didn't bother him when he had his own.

He glanced at his palm pilot and the tracking program on it. Apparently, he went through more than any other hunter, but it wasn't his fault his magic didn't play nice with them. this one hadn't died yet, so he thought that maybe he had finally gotten the hang of shielding it from his magic, hopefully. It was his only connection to the outside world, outside of the phone whose number only two people knew; Acheron and the head Squire in Rome. He had no computer, no TV, nothing, he preferred it that way.

He smirked when he spotted three Daimons nearby. He had to admit, the program was handy, picking up the traces of the Daimons' elevated neuron activity that came from their psychic abilities. Time to get to work.

Harry found them with two tourists trapped in an alley, drawing the throwing knives Ash had trained him to use, lining them up before letting them fly, taking out two of the Daimons before they even knew he was there. The third spun to face him, smirking when it got a look and Harry fought the urge to roll his eyes. Even after training with Acheron he was still barely five foot eleven and rather slender. He just didn't have the body type that would bulk up with muscle, he was a Seeker after all. It made things harder, Daimons just didn't find him intimidating at all. No one really had his whole life, except those who feared the legend and popularity of the Boy-Who-Lived. He drew the short sword he carried under his coat and the Daimon hesitated. Harry lunged in, ducking under the clumsy grab and drove the blade into its heart, freeing the souls it had consumed and turning it to so much dust.

"How…." The male tourist choked out in shock.

"Obliviate," Harry whispered, wiping their memories and sending them on their way to their hotel.

Once sure they were safe he got back to his patrol.

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Harry sat on his balcony, stargazing as he sipped at his hot chocolate. He had a top floor apartment in a nice historic building with a very good view. Even without the outrageous pay Artemis delivered every month, he had a lot of money. He'd had the presence of mind to raid Gringotts after everything and there had been a lot of precious metals and jewels there. He owned the whole building and rented the other apartments out to those in need, not caring about making money from the rent.

Seeing the dawn approaching he moved inside and locked the doors behind him, closing the light proof shutters even as a flick of his hand lit the candles. He made sure the apartment was secure and then settled in to read for a while before heading to bed. It hurt to lie there alone, to not have the other side occupied. Not that anyone had ever known, as much as the Weasley's had loved him, they would have killed him if they'd known Ginny had shared a bed with him a few times once they were engaged. They'd never gotten the chance to exchange their vows, for a honeymoon, any of it. Those few nights were all he had, not that they'd done more than just sleep, they had wanted to wait for the wedding night but had needed comfort after the war ended.

He tossed and turned for a few hours before finally falling into a fitful sleep.

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Harry pulled out his phone as it rang, pressing it to his ear as he walked down the street. "Hi Ash," he greeted as he dodged a group of rowdy tourists.

"Harry, I'm sending a Squire over to your place with some equipment."

"Oh?"

"It's time you had a computer little brother," Ash sounded far too cheerful about that for him.

"You want me to have a computer? The guy who kills a palm pilot a month?" he demanded in disbelief.

Ash responded by chuckling. "The handbook is fine for standard information, but you should be checking immediate updates and the message boards.

"Ash…" he didn't want to know the others; he didn't want to make friends. Acheron was different, he was his boss yes, but…he called him little brother and Harry couldn't help feeling good about that, wanting to have someone he could trust, to talk to. "Okay…but don't blame me when it blows up or something."

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Harry glanced at the note and then slowly followed the directions, typing in his username and password, watching as the website came up. So far, so good. He watched as messages appeared, other hunters talking together, comparing the fights of their night, complaining, just blowing off steam. He moved away from the busy boards, finding games that he had no clue about, smaller chats…it was overwhelming.

He found a group with only two members and hesitated, torn. He took a deep breath and typed. 'Hi.'

'Hi,' the answer came back after a minute. 'Who's this?'

'Harry,'

'Sundown. Mr Silent is Zarek. Heard we had a new DH. Where are you stationed?'

'Rome, you?'

"Reno.'

'Alaska,' Zarek answered for the first time.

He could do this. He could talk to them online and it would be fine.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Harry sat on the roof, watching the fireworks as the world celebrated the beginning of the new millennia. He watched for a few more minutes before standing and stepping off the roof and dropping down to the alley before walking out into the crowds, it was perfect Daimon hunting tonight with all the drunken revellers.

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Harry frowned as he read Zarek's message about baking. Little comments the older hunter made when put together did not paint a pretty picture. He'd done some research on Alaska as well, and he couldn't imagine being posted there for a year let alone centuries. How did he survive the summers when he couldn't leave his home? He was totally alone up there, and it was cruel.

Harry had also seen the comments and warnings about Zarek, but he had ignored them. He didn't know what had happened, but the man he talked with was not an insane killer. He didn't believe Zarek had slaughtered a village he had watched over for years. If he'd done that, he would have been more than exiled which meant something else was going on there, he just didn't know what. At least Zarek had Jess and now him to talk to now.

Harry just wanted to do more for him which was why he was finishing packing up the box, putting Zarek's mailing address on it, getting that had not been easy. Inside the box were simple household objects, all heavily enchanted. Blankets and coats to keep him warm in the winter, rune engraved stones to keep his food from freezing, others to cool set areas down in the summer, and a letter with instructions.

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Zarek opened his door to find Sharon had made a delivery earlier. Along with some magazines was a box and when he checked it he found it had been sent from Rome, the senders initials were H.E….Harry Evans. He quickly brought everything inside and cautiously opened the box, finding a letter on top. He read it, eyes narrowed in confusion, and then pulled out the stones for cooling. He set them around the room and saw the engraved marking glow briefly, the temperature dropping a good twenty degrees. Why would he do this for him?

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Harry picked up his phone, silencing the ringtone. "Acheron?"

"Harry, how are you?"

"Fine," Harry answered, lunging to save his toast from burning. "What can I do for you?"

"You're being transferred," his boss answered.

Harry blinked, wait…what? "Pardon?"

"One of the hunters in New Orleans got his soul back, Kyrian of Thrace. You're taking his place."

"America?" Harry asked in surprise. "Alright, when do I leave?"

"You'll be picked up in three days and flown over in one of the modified helicopters."

"Understood, what about lodgings?"

"A temporary place will be arranged unless you want to give a list of what you prefer, and something can be purchased ahead of time."

"Temporary is fine. I'll be ready."

"Good hunting little brother," Ash offered, and Harry smiled slightly.

"Ash?"

"Yes?"

"Why me? I haven't even been here five years."

"Because you are the only safe option. It was originally going to be Valerius," he explained, and Harry winced. He'd read the handbook, so he knew who Kyrian and Valerius were, and their link, that would not end well.

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"Understood, who else is stationed there?" Harry answered him and Ash smiled slightly at how quickly Harry caught on, he was young, but he was very bright. He had enjoyed training Harry, though it hadn't been easy, he had no previous training. He was quick on his feet though and didn't quit, no matter how many times he was knocked down. Ash knew little of Harry's past, just that he'd been orphaned as a toddler and raised by his aunt and uncle, that he'd been engaged despite his young age. He'd lost her and everyone else before being killed himself.

"Talon. When Mardi Gras comes you'll receive temporary backup as well," he explained. He wouldn't mention how hard it had been to convince Artemis to assign Harry rather than Valerius to New Orleans. He thought the younger male would like the city; he could even attend university there, online anyway. Harry was too isolated; he didn't communicate with anyone except Ash by phone, Sundown and Zarek online. He knew that technically he should have stopped that, but he was happy that they had reached out to Zarek and that the ex-slave hadn't pushed them away.

Artemis had refused to tell him why Harry hadn't been given any powers, the only others she did that with were the Romans and a very few others who she didn't like. Then again, Harry seemed to have his own powers, unlike any he had seen before. He had asked but when Harry clamed up he hadn't pushed. Without those powers he would be stationing the teen somewhere Daimons never went for his own safety since he couldn't beat them with brute strength or skill like his older brethren. He wondered how Talon would react to Harry and he hoped the two would become friends since they would be stationed there together permanently.

"Can you be ready by then?" he asked, and Harry chuckled.

"Definitely."

"Good, I'll see you when you arrive," Ash hung up and sent a message to Nick to arrange temporary accommodation for Harry. Maybe he could convince Harry to take Nick on as his Squire, if they got along. Nick was only two years younger than Harry and that may make things interesting.

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Harry packed the last of his belongings and looked around his apartment. He put the keys in an envelope which he pocketed before heading out for one last patrol which ended at the Squire HQ where he slipped the envelope into the mail slot. Whoever was assigned in his place could use the apartment or the Squires could if they needed it for something, but the building would remain in his name.

He'd never been to America and he was sort of looking forward to it. He'd heard of New Orleans, and he'd borrowed some library books on it after Ash's call, it had a very rich history. He was also looking forward to seeing Ash again, he hadn't seen him since his training had ended and he was posted to Rome. He was stern but also patient and kind. Learning to fight had been hell but Ash had always patched him up after, had never hurt him for the sake of it. He'd taught him so much and Harry felt a bit bad over the secrets he kept, Ash kept a lot too, but Harry knew some of them, not that he'd admitted it. He would keep Ash's secrets, they weren't his to tell, and he only knew them because of how becoming a Dark Hunter had affected his magic.

He shrank most of his things, taking a single bag with him as he headed out to the helipad where the Squire flown helicopter was waiting.

"Harry?" the man waiting asked and he nodded. "I'm Alex, your pilot for the trip. We'll be landing just after sunset in New Orleans. It's an almost fourteen hour flight."

"Will it be dark enough to have the windows clear? I've never flown over so far before."

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"We can for a few hours," Alex agreed, still shocked by how young the Dark Hunter appeared. He'd read the update when he joined, knew the Harry Evans was the youngest physically as well as being the newest. It was still a shock to be confronted with a teenager. That could make life difficult for him in some situations. His entry was tiny, born July 31st 1980, in England, date of death December 26th 1997. No mention of how he died or why he became a Dark Hunter, which was odd. He opened the compartment and Harry climbed in, Alex showing him how to strap himself in for safety and then he went to the cockpit to start it up. Fourteen hours was a long flight but at least he had the autopilot so he could nap on and off.

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Harry looked out of the windows as the sea passed by miles beneath them. He loved the enhanced vision being a Dark Hunter gave him, he'd never need glasses again and he could see better in the dark than he ever could have dreamed of. Would have made Quidditch so much better. He was becoming excited for seeing America, though he was also worried. The MACUSA was very much a presence and a threat should they realise he was still 'alive'. Places like New Orleans were as much magical tourist sites as non-magical. Should he have warned Ash that there may be people there who could recognise him? Would anyone? He may not have aged, but he had changed since his Hogwarts days, he'd filled out at least a bit and his hair was longer, helping get rid of some of the Potter messiness, not to mention the infamous scar was gone and his eyes were no longer the same shade of green as his Mother's. That would hopefully be enough. Not like he had a wand they could trace.

He hit the switch to darken the windows and settled in to meditate, the last thing they needed was him bringing the helicopter down accidentally with a nightmare if he fell asleep.

_TBC…_


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: not mine_

_There's a poll on my scifi profile on ffnet for a possible pairing for this, please vote._

**Chapter 2**

Nick leant against his car, eyes scanning the darkness for the modified H-53E Sea Dragon Sikorsky the Squires used to transport Dark Hunters without risking their exposure to sunlight. He was curious about who was on it, all Ash had told him was to arrange temporary lodgings and to come pick him up. He picked up the radio in his front seat and turned it on. "Hey Alex, you almost here?" he asked.

"_About ten minutes out. Looking forward to getting back on solid ground."_

"Well you're the one who wanted to be a pilot. How's the flight been?"

"_Peaceful. He's not much of a talker."_

"Who is it? Ash didn't tell me?"

"_Well then, who am I to ruin the surprise?"_ Alex chuckled and Nick rolled his eyes but settled in to wait.

Nick kept looking to the sky, but he finally spotted the black craft as it approached the private landing strip. Ash's own modified MH-60K Sikorsky, in black of course, was in the hanger. The helicopter landed and the blades slowed to a stop, so Nick straightened up and approached even as Alex dropped to the ground and moved to the back compartment. He reached in and grabbed a bag before his passenger dropped out and looked around.

Nick was shocked as he took in the young man. He wore black jeans and boots, a dark green shirt, sunglasses, and a black denim jacket, unlike most of his brethren who wore leather. But that wasn't the biggest shock….he looked younger than Nick! Which meant this could only be one Hunter, Harry Evans, the newest and physically youngest of the group. Nick watched as he looked around curiously before approaching. "Hi, Harry Evans, right?" he offered his hand and it was taken.

"That's right."

"Nick Gautier, I'm your chauffer." He grinned and got a small smile in return. It was hard to remember that Evans was two years older than him. He led the way back to his car and they got in. "We're meeting Ash and Talon in the Quarter, then I'll take you to the house so you can get settled."

"Thank you," was the response, at least he was polite. He'd met some of the Mardi Gras helpers over the years who could be very curt. He might not be chatty but there was nothing mean about him.

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"T-Rex," Talon greeted as he joined the older Dark Hunter and Ash nodded at him. "So what's going on?"

"Kyrian's replacement arrives tonight."

"Who is it?" he asked, he hoped it was one of the Dark Huntresses.

"You'll see," he smirked slightly as he leant against the wall and Talon shook his head. They looked quite the pair, the biker and the goth, and the crowds skirted around them warily.

"Here they come," Ash offered, and Talon followed his gaze to spot Nick approaching, a teenager at his side and Talon froze in shock. He'd read the entry…but he hadn't truly believed it. He glanced at T-Rex, seeing the fond look that flitted across his face. He looked back to the approaching pair, taking in the black denim and boots, black hair brushing the jackets collar, the easy grace with which he moved. He was nothing like the kind of person Artemis usually chose, too young and short.

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Ash moved away from the wall and nodded at Nick before looking at Harry, happy to see he was looking well. Part of him had wanted to keep the kid close after his training but that wouldn't have been the right thing. If Harry was to survive their world he had to be able to stand on his own two feet. "Good flight?" he asked, and Harry smiled.

"Long, but it was neat when I could have the window unshaded. I've never seen so much open water before. And it's good to see you again Ash."

"You too Harry," he smirked and reached out to ruffle Harry's hair, making him swat at him.

"Hey! It's a disaster enough on its own thanks," he grumbled, and Ash chuckled.

Behind them, Talon and Nick exchanged a look of surprise. They'd never seen Ash so…almost parental with anyone.

"Harry, this is Talon. He's the other permanent Hunter here," Ash introduced them.

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Harry looked Talon over and bit back a sigh, why couldn't he have gotten a few more inches before dying? He'd been due one last growth spurt and while he still probably would have been the shortest, at least he would have hit the six foot mark. He offered his hand politely and Talon took it. "Nice to meet you," he offered, forcing himself not to tense. This was way more interaction than he'd had since his training had ended and he was getting uncomfortable. He also didn't want to mesh things up though, it was better to be on okay terms with the other Hunter assigned to the city. He'd read the info on the man, an ancient Celt who was betrayed by his people. They had that much in common, unlike those who had been betrayed by a family member.

"Welcome to New Orleans," the older Hunter greeted amicably.

"Thanks."

"Now that you two have met, we should move on before you end up draining each other," Ash said and Harry was grateful he worded it that way, so Talon wouldn't know Harry had no powers he could drain. "though, Harry," Ash indicated his sunglasses and Harry hesitated, he knew what his boss wanted but he hated standing out.

He sighed but removed them, seeing the confusion and then surprise from both Talon and Nick. At first glance his eyes appeared no different to any other Dark Hunter's, but it didn't take long to realise that while his pupil was bigger than normal, his eyes were not completely black like theirs. His irises were smaller than human normal and were a very dark green in colour. Quite a few shades darker than they had been as a human and no longer anything like his Mother's, which hurt, he had liked having her eyes. Still, it was just one more thing that made him different to the other's and that made him wary. He'd been different all his life and paid the price for those differences in blood and pain.

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Nick frowned when Ash got Harry to remove his sunglasses, not sure why. They were standard black…. That wasn't possible…was it? They weren't black, almost, but not. He could tell the difference between pupil and iris and his pupils were bigger than Nick's own to allow for better night vision, but his irises were lighter. Still very dark but…green…not black. "Whoa," he murmured, and he saw Harry tense slightly. "Cool," he offered and got a brief look of surprise. "What? Every Dark Hunter has boring old black, well except Ash," he shrugged, and Harry hung his sunglasses from his jacket pocket.

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Talon saw the younger Hunter tense slight when Nick spoke but then Nick saved it, and Harry relaxed. Talon was curious about the different colour, but every Dark Hunter was unique, even if the eyes and teeth were usually the one thing they all shared. Maybe the colour was related to whatever powers he had gained? He knew why Ash had made him reveal them now, if he'd run into Harry on the street and seen his eyes, the surprise may have been costly if there was a fight at the time. He wondered if it made hunting easier, with his fangs hidden he didn't look like one of them. "Well, good to meet you but I better get to work. Call or message me whenever," he nodded and then walked away.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

"Nick will take you to the house and I'll be by tomorrow evening," Ash told him, and Harry nodded. "For now, Nick will be acting as Squire for both you and Talon so call him if you need anything."

"Okay," the sooner he got settled, the sooner Nick could go back to being Talon's Squire, not his. He followed Nick back to his car.

,,,,,,,,,,

Acheron watched them walk away, hoping he'd done the right thing in relocating Harry. If Valerius had come it would have ended in bloodshed, and if Kyrian had killed him nothing would have saved him from Artemis' wrath. He couldn't let that happen, he had a wife and baby on the way. Harry had never spoken of why he had made the deal with Artemis and he wouldn't push, but unlike most who were full of rage, lashing out, Harry had withdrawn, shunning company. The fact Harry let him ruffle his hair earlier was a massive improvement over how he had been at the beginning. He recognised the same signs in Harry that he himself had…he'd been abused at some point in his life, though Acheron hoped to a much lighter extent that what he himself had suffered. He never wanted anyone to know the same kind of pain and humiliation that had been his human life.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

"The fridge and pantry are stocked with the basics, there's a list of local contact numbers in the top drawer too. I've got morning classes tomorrow but I'm free after one if you need anything. I've put some real estate flyers out to give you an idea what's available. There's a car in the garage, though you'll need an American licence."

"Thanks, but I don't drive."

Nick stopped and stared at the Hunter who was looking around the ground floor of the house. "You don't drive?"

"No, never learnt. And I got around my area of Rome on foot," he shrugged.

"Okay…so you'll need a place close to your patrol area," he'd have to ask Ash so he could start collecting listing information. Maybe someone should teach him? it would be safer if he at least knew how, in case of emergency. He assumed Harry would end up with Kyrian's old area so a place in the Garden District would be handy. He got the feeling Harry wouldn't want a place like Kyrian's though, he didn't seem the sort to want something so grand. "Need anything tonight?"

"No, I'll be fine. You should get some sleep so you're awake for class."

"Thanks, I'll see you later," Nick grinned at him and then left the house.

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Harry watched him go and then went into the kitchen to see what was there, putting together a meal to eat and then he headed upstairs to the bedrooms, picking one, seeing it had been light-proofed already but he added his own precautions as well, he had no intentions of ever becoming a shade… though he did wonder if he could. There were days he wished he'd known more, hadn't been so hasty to agree to Artemis' bargain, not when it hadn't been necessary. Then again, without it and the strength that came from being a Dark Hunter, he wouldn't have been able to do what he had done for his vengeance.

He unpacked the minimum since he wasn't going to be staying, and then headed downstairs to find a TV set up. He gave into his curiosity and turned it on, putting it on a local news channel to learn more about his new home.

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Ash appeared in the entry way of the House the Squires had rented for Harry an hour before sunset. He could hear the shower running so Harry was up, he felt bad for his jetlag. He glanced around, spotting the dishes drying beside the sink, so either he had already eaten, or they were from the night before. he sat on a barstool to wait and ten minutes later Harry appeared on the stairs, strapping on wrist blades as he made his way down. "Don't fall," Ash called, and Harry looked up, giving the usual small smile. He'd learnt amazing quickly how to deal with and hide his fangs, faster than most.

"That would be embarrassing," he admitted. Impaling himself on his own knives would be painful but not deadly. He went to the sink and got a glass of water. "Want some?"

"No, thank you." Harry always offered food and drink when he saw him, always looked worried when he turned him down, and with how skinny he'd been when he died...it made him wonder how well fed he'd been growing up. Then there were the odd gaps in his general knowledge which only made sense with some rather disturbing theories. Nick was right though; it was time Harry learnt how to drive since he couldn't teleport like he himself did. If he was caught out close to dawn a car could save his life.

"So is it just Talon and I for the whole city?" Harry asked as he finished getting ready to head out.

"For now. Closer to Mardi Gras backup will be brought in."

"I looked that up online. Daimon feeding frenzy?"

"Definitely," Ash agreed.

"What's an average night like?"

"They tend to hunt in groups of three or four. Outside of Mardi Gras the average is two or three of those groups a night per Hunter."

"Similar to Rome then," Harry nodded. "Will I be covering the graveyards?"

That was the oddest thing about Harry, despite being soulless, nothing ever attempted to possess him, if anything it was the opposite, they fled from him. Had he really been human before his death? "I usually do when I'm in town but since you're here permanently I've been shuffling the patrol areas around." He brought out a map of the city and showed Harry his area. As soon as the sun set they left the house to walk the area, Ash pointing out places he should know about. He took him away from his route to show him Liza's doll shop, Tabitha Devereaux's with the warning she hunted Daimons and knew what they were now she was related to Kyrian, several popular café's, as well as Kyrian's house and then finally they ended up at Sanctuary.

"Sanctuary is a Limani, one of the few to truly tolerate our kind. It's run by the Peltier family, they are Katagaria bears. One of their sons, Dev, is usually on the door and he thinks it's amusing to have a bow and arrow brand, though he isn't one of us," Ash explained as they approached, and Harry nodded.

"Acheron," the tall blonde on the door nodded.

"Dev, this is Harry Evans, Kyrian's replacement. Dev is one of a set of identical Quad's."

"You can tell me apart by this," Dev grinned, showing off Artemis' mark and Harry nodded.

"Nice to meet you," he offered.

"Nice accent. I hate to ask, but do you have ID? Because someone is sure to ask."

Acheron smirked as Harry pulled out his ID, showing him to be twenty-four. "You'll need an American ID, it should arrive in the next day or so," he reminded him, and Harry nodded, his current one was Italian after all. Ash was no longer the only Dark Hunter who needed ID since he always got carded outside of the Limani. They walked in and Sweet Home Alabama began to play. "The song is a warning of my presence."

"That'd explain half the clientele bolting, though why if this place is a Limani? Not like you can hurt them here."

It was a good point; they were safer inside the bar than out. "Many don't want to be near the head Dark Hunter, no violence allowed or not." He walked over to the bar and Aimee smiled in greeting.

"No Simi tonight?"

"Not tonight," Ash agreed, making the introductions.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Harry fell into bed, exhausted. He'd gotten in just before dawn, but it had been an informative night. He had a bigger area to cover than he had in Rome and he did wonder why it was just the two of them for the whole city. He'd need to start house hunting when he got up but at the moment all he wanted was to sleep, hopefully without nightmares.

_TBC…_


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: not mine_

_In the online timeline I found it says Kyrian was freed in October and they didn't marry till May the next year and then another year before Talon's book. gives me lots of time to play with. _

_The poll wanted Harry/Nick here so that'll be his pairing. _

**Chapter 3**

Kyrian paused, hearing something from the alley up ahead. He wasn't a Dark Hunter anymore; it wasn't his job but…he walked quicker. He peered into the alley to see four Daimons fighting a…teenager? A teenager with a sword, moving very quickly. And then a memory clicked, an entry added to the Handbook only a few years ago, could this be him? Seeing a Daimon get behind him, Kyrian moved, glad he was wearing his boots, the blade snapping out and he kicked the Daimon in the back, blade puncturing its heart right as the teen spun, sword up, eyes widening as he saw Kyrian who grinned at him. "Harry Evans?" he asked though he was sure that was who he was. "Kyrian Hunter," he introduced as the last Daimon turned to run, watching as Harry drew a knife and threw it, the Daimon exploding into golden dust.

"Thanks," Harry offered, the sword vanishing into hiding somewhere in his jacket.

Kyrian offered his hand and the young Hunter hesitated but then took it. "No problem. I'm guessing you were brought in as my replacement?" he asked, confused by that. New Orleans was one of the toughest assignments and Evans was barely out of training. Last he'd heard the kid was assigned to Rome, not an easy place itself but there was no Mardi Gras there to deal with.

"Yeah, I arrived three days ago, still house hunting," Harry shrugged slightly.

Kyrian dug in his pocket, pulling out a scrap of paper which he quickly wrote on before holding it out to Harry. "My number. I may not be in the business anymore but if you need help don't hesitate to call, please. Even if you just need help finding a store or getting home before the sun."

"Why?" Harry asked, sounding a little bewildered by his offer, staring at his number.

His entry was basically his date of birth, death and country. What caused a seventeen year old to call out to Artemis and then give her their soul? To sound so confused by an offer to help? Nothing he wanted to think of happening. He slowly reached out and lay his hand on Harry's denim clad shoulder, feeling him tense under his touch. "Because I have been where you are Harry. All we have are the Squires and each other. I may have gotten my soul and freedom, but the Dark Hunters are still my family."

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Was he for real? He wasn't a Dark Hunter anymore, he was out. Why would he offer to help him? Because he still looked like a kid? Was he doomed to being seen as a kid for eternity? Kyrian was mortal now, even if he did still have powers, he should be keeping well away from their world. "I…"

"Keep it Harry," Kyrian smiled at him and it seemed genuine.

It was tempting to try and read him, but he'd studied his entry in the book, he had his own mental abilities and he wouldn't have lost them in becoming mortal again. While Harry's ran on magic it wasn't worth the risk.

"I better get back to patrolling. Thanks for the help," he said and then vanished, seeing Kyrian blink in surprise. He waited until the man left the alley before dropping the invisibility to head out himself. He had a job to do. He hesitated but then shoved the paper in a pocket and not a bin.

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Amanda looked up and smiled as Kyrian finally returned home even as she put away the last of the wedding planning papers and samples. "Welcome home," she smiled, and he grinned, walking over to kiss her.

"Sorry I'm late."

"Trouble?" She'd sensed something a little while ago.

"Not exactly. I ran into my replacement, he arrived three days ago."

"Oh? Who is it? a famous ancient warrior?" she teased, and he shook his head, sitting on the couch and she sat beside him.

"His name is Harry Evans."

"So not an ancient warrior," she mock sighed and then frowned. "Kyrian? What is it?"

"He became a Dark Hunter in 1997, I'm surprised he was stationed here considering the trouble New Orleans can see. His first and only positing so far was Rome."

"And?" she pushed, sensing there was something else.

"He was born in 1980."

The math was very easy to do, maybe in earlier times seventeen was an adult but these days? He might not have even graduated high school yet! "What's he like?"

"Cautious, wary. He uses a sword which is interesting for someone born so recently, his style is pure Ash's training. He definitely doesn't match Artemis' usual tastes."

"Oh?"

"He's under six foot, dark haired, and built more like an athlete than a warrior."

"There are dark haired hunters out there, even short ones."

"Most of those under six foot are female," he pointed out and she glared at him. "Hey, I like tall women," he defended, and she smirked.

"Nice save," she kissed him and then sighed. "You're worried about him?"

"Yeah," he admitted. "No one really knows anything about him. I think Sundown mentioned he chats to him once but he's the only one. The others stationed in Rome never heard from him at all. I know he's technically twenty-two now but…"

"Can you do anything though?"

"I gave him my number, whether or not he'll use it," Kyrian shrugged. "Maybe Talon and Nick will have more luck than those stationed in Rome."

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Harry looked through the various real estate listings, trying to find something that suited his needs and he could stand to live in. He didn't want some big ostentatious house; it'd feel too much like being back in Britain. He could buy an apartment building like he had in Rome but that didn't feel right this time. He'd been in New Orleans a week now and he wanted his own home, not a rental.

Two days later he was putting in an offer on a recently renovated three bedroom cottage within his patrol area. One bedroom would be done up as an office and the third would be a guestroom, in case Ash needed somewhere to crash someday. A few small alterations and he was ready to move in within two weeks, it helped he'd paid extra to expedite the whole process.

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Ash glanced at his phone to find Harry had messaged him an address located within his patrol area. At least Harry was beginning to use technology more and the Squires Council were very happy that they seemed to have come up with a way to keep his technology from being fried so frequently. He knew Harry had met Kyrian, though he'd heard it from Kyrian and not Harry himself.

He was hoping that Harry would settle more in New Orleans, would come to see his fellow Dark Hunters as family and would even take Nick on as his own Squire. Talon simply didn't need Nick, but Harry and Nick could learn a lot from each other. He knew Harry trusted him, but he couldn't live forever only trusting one other person and…he honestly wasn't sure how deep that trust went.

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Harry went to the door and opened it, surprised to see Nick on the other side.

"Housewarming gifts!" the Squire cheerfully announced, and Harry just stared as he carried in a box.

"What?" he asked in bewilderment.

Nick put the box down and the pulled out a covered dish of all things. "This is from my Mom, hope you like gumbo. This is from Talon," he pulled out a gaming console of all things. "Top of the line of course, Talon loves his tech. This one is from Kyrian and his fiancé Amanda," Nick pulled out a package of books and…

"Is that a coffin?" he asked in confusion.

"Yep, Kyrian has a coffee table shaped like a coffin, he has a weird sense of humour," Nick shrugged.

Harry didn't know what to say or think. They didn't know him; it wasn't like when he'd been the Boy-Who-Lived and people gave him things. The only ones to ever give him gifts without expectations had been Hermione and the Weasley's. "Why….why would your Mom give me food?" he asked.

"Well, she kind of thinks you're Ash's cousin?"

"What?!" Harry really didn't know how to react to that.

"She heard me on the phone with Amanda cause she wanted to give you a housewarming gift and since Mom doesn't know the truth about my job, well…it was the best I could come up with on the spot. You don't look old enough to be a co-worker of Kyrian or Talon and my Mom works at Sanctuary even if she does think it's a normal bar. My Mom is forever trying to feed Ash so when I told her you're his cousin and new in town…"

"Oh…okay. Tell her thank you for me please."

"Sure," Nick grinned. "Or you could tell her yourself? You have ID to get in, right?"

"All my new identification arrived on time." He did wonder how the Squires Council managed it, did they have people in all the governments because the things were to real to be fakes, even good ones. And the last thing they needed was one of them being arrested for using a fake id and being carted off to fry in a cell when the sun rose, so no way they'd risk it.

Sanctuary had been…an experience. It was a Limani, so it was safe, but it was a bit louder than he preferred these days. Still, she'd gone to all that trouble for a stranger, thinking he was related to Ash or not, it would be more polite to give his thanks in person. "Alright, what nights does she work?"

He took the dish into the kitchen and opened it to see how much was in it, definitely more than he could eat in even two nights so he got out some containers to freeze in easy to eat portions. It was still warm, so it'd been made fresh today. He hesitated but then looked at Nick. "Eaten yet?" he asked, and Nick blinked before grinning.

"I can always eat," he answered and that surprised a laugh out of Harry, he'd heard that a lot as a teen from Ron.

"There's juice, soda, and chilled water in the fridge," he offered, getting two bowls out. They sat down at the breakfast bar and Harry curiously took a spoonful.

"Well?" Nick asked as he began eating his own.

"It's good," Harry took a mouthful of coke. "Bit spicier than I'm used to."

"Is British food really that bland?" Nick asked and Harry caught a teasing light in his eyes.

"It can be a bit heavy," he admitted. "Boarding school menus are pretty limited too." Though Hogwarts had been more varied than a non-magical schools would have been.

"Wow, British boarding school. What was it like?"

"Well, it was in Scotland, really isolated, and in a thousand year old castle. So it may sound great, but the drafts were crazy in winter and there were no elevators or anything, just endless staircases."

"Still sounds cool to me," Nick shrugged.

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Nick was happy, he'd delivered the gifts and hadn't been tossed out. Instead he'd been invited for dinner and now Harry was coming to meet his Mom and say thanks for the food. He had the feeling that was a big thing for Harry. He'd called the Council in Rome and Harry had never gone to them for anything, had refused a Squire and done everything himself. The only time they'd been to his place had been to deliver the computer system Ash had eventually insisted he have. So even the little interaction he'd had with all of them was a big improvement.

He'd even opened up a little and mentioned going to boarding school which meant he either came from money or had earned a scholarship. He wouldn't be putting that info anywhere or asking Harry which it was. He got the feeling pushing would just make him retreat into solitude. Yes, Nick wanted a permanent Hunter to serve again but he also had the feeling Harry could really use a friend too.

Watching his Mom practically coo over a rather uncertain Harry was rather amusing though.

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Harry collapsed into bed, checking the gash in his side to ensure it hadn't begun bleeding again. He focused his magic internally to finish healing it and crawled under the covers, ready to sleep for the day. He was exhausted after having to deal with the crowd and noise of Sanctuary and then a night of work.

He liked Cherise though how she couldn't see the truth behind those she worked for and her sons friends he wasn't sure. She reminded him a bit of Mrs Weasley and that hurt but they were also very different in other ways which made it easier. Both women had decided immediately that he needed feeding up though. He wasn't a tiny, skinny thing anymore!

He'd lost focus in a fight because he was still dealing with the fact he'd let Nick share a meal and had spoken of Hogwarts, no matter how briefly it had been. Would he live long enough for the pain to ever fade? He was sure to be in for nightmares today. He closed his eyes, meditating, trying to push the pain away, before falling asleep.

By midday he gave up and took a sip of Dreamless Sleep, glad the potion still worked for him even if getting his hands on it was almost impossible since he'd died. He rationed it very carefully for those days when the memories were too much. Thankfully, every year those days lessened in number. Perhaps one day, his past would remain in the past and not pain him anymore. Maybe.

_TBC…_


End file.
